The Self Sensei - SelfSensei.com

Vib Kapila

Gain Clarity and Unlock a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you by exploring the science behind your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors through our carefully curated collection of research on core psychological concepts. Each episode is thoroughly researched to provide you with accurate and insightful knowledge about the fundamental principles that shape our minds and actions.

  1. How Storytelling Hijacks Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Narrative

    3 DAYS AGO

    How Storytelling Hijacks Your Brain: The Neuroscience of Narrative

    Ever wondered why you can’t stop binge-watching a show you don't even like, or why a car commercial makes you tear up? It’s not just entertainment—it's biology. In this deep dive, we explore the "machinery under the hood" of storytelling. We discuss how evolution built stories into our brains as a survival mechanism—a "flight simulator" for social life that trains our pattern-recognition and prepares us for real-world crises. What You’ll Learn: The Darwin Machine: Why storytelling is actually "cognitive play" that helps us navigate complex human interactions without the real-world risk. Narrative Transportation: The four psychological elements that make you lose track of time and dissolve your self-awareness. The Chemical Cocktail: How your brain uses Dopamine to grab your attention and Oxytocin to create a deep emotional bond with fictional characters. The Logic Hack: Why stories bypass your "skeptical brain," making narrative persuasion one of the most powerful tools in marketing and healthcare. The Memory Glitch: Why your most cherished memories might actually be "total fiction" created by your brain’s obsession with coherence over truth. Key Highlights: Brain Synchronization: How shared stories literally align the neural states of a tribe. The Hippocampus Zipper: The fascinating way your brain stitches disjointed events together to form a single, cohesive life story. The Misinformation Effect: How a single word can overwrite your memory of an event (and why certain "eyewitness" testimonies are often wrong). Read the full article and dive deeper into the science of storytelling on SelfSensei.com

    31 min
  2. Stop "Deep Breathing": 4 Science-Backed Rules for Stress Relief

    2 FEB

    Stop "Deep Breathing": 4 Science-Backed Rules for Stress Relief

    In this episode, we take a "deep dive" into the latest research on stress, anxiety, and the biological mechanisms that allow us to regain control of our nervous systems. With anxiety rates climbing significantly since 2020, we explore why many of us are living in a state of "allostatic overload"—where our stress response is constantly activated and never fully turns off. We break down two powerful "levers" for calm: The Mechanical Lever (Breathwork): A massive systematic review of nearly 3,000 articles reveals why most people fail at breathwork. Learn the "5-minute rule," the danger of fast breathing, and why a guided approach is statistically more effective than going it alone. The Chemical Lever (Oxytocin): Moving beyond its reputation as the "love hormone," we explore oxytocin's role as a "salience modulator". Discover the "Oxytocin Paradox"—how this chemical can either amplify fear or shut down the "freeze" response in your amygdala depending on your social context. Key Takeaways: The 5-Minute Threshold: Why 10 seconds of deep breathing isn't enough to overcome "physiological inertia". The Power of Slow: How breathing below 20 breaths per minute signals safety to the brainstem. Social Buffering: Why human connection (even just a guided voice in an app) is a biological necessity for "unfreezing" the brain during a crisis. The Attention Economy: How constant digital interruptions are physically preventing our brains from consolidating "safety memories". Whether you’re dealing with high-stress work emails or just trying to unwind at the end of the day, this episode provides a practical manual for your internal control panel. Stop fighting your biology and start aligning your inputs for maximum calm. Read the full article on SelfSensei.com for all the science-backed details and deeper insights!

    31 min
  3. Why Your Cultural Operating System Crashes: The Power of CQ

    27 JAN

    Why Your Cultural Operating System Crashes: The Power of CQ

    Ever wondered why a simple "thumbs up" could start a fight or why your perfectly logical email went ignored? In this episode, we dive deep into the "hidden software" of human interaction: Cultural Intelligence (CQ). We explore the groundbreaking work of anthropologist Edward Hall, who categorized the world into High-Context and Low-Context cultures. From agricultural fields in Guatemala to high-stakes boardrooms in Tokyo, we break down how these invisible rules govern everything from our sense of time to how we deliver feedback. In this video, you’ll learn: The CQ Framework: Understanding the four pillars of Drive, Knowledge, Strategy, and Action. Monochronic vs. Polychronic Time: Why being "on time" means something different across the globe. The AI Paradox: Why high-power distance cultures actually trust AI more than we do in the West. Practical Tips: How to adjust your "Cultural OS" to prevent communication crashes in your personal and professional life. Whether you're a global entrepreneur, a healthcare professional, or just curious about human behavior, this deep dive will change the way you see the world—and the people in it. Key Timestamps:00:00 - The Staggering Data on Global Migration02:15 - What is the "Hidden Software" of Culture?04:30 - High Context vs. Low Context Explained07:15 - Case Study: The Guatemala Soil Test Failure12:40 - The "Sandwich Method" of Feedback (and why it fails)18:20 - Why the East Trusts AI More Than the West22:10 - 3 Actionable Steps to Improve Your CQ If you enjoyed this deep dive, don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more insights into the human experience! #CulturalIntelligence #CQ #CommunicationSkills #GlobalBusiness #Psychology #AI #CrossCulturalCommunication #DeepDive Ready to become a culturally intelligent leader? Read the full article for a comprehensive guide and valuable resources on SelfSensei.com!

    37 min
  4. The Misinformation Effect: How Suggestion Contaminates Memory

    20 JAN

    The Misinformation Effect: How Suggestion Contaminates Memory

    Think your memory is a perfect video recorder? Think again! This video dives into the startling truth about eyewitness testimony and how fragile witness memory can lead to catastrophic miscarriages of justice. From the shocking cases of wrongful conviction (like Ronald Cotton's) to the subtle power of misinformation and co-witness contamination, we uncover the 7 critical ways our brains reconstruct, rather than simply recall, events. Learn about the misinformation effect, the dangers of lineups, how false memories are implanted, and the cognitive shortcuts that prioritize a 'good story' over absolute truth. We also explore solutions like the NICHD Protocol designed to safeguard memory.Key Takeaways:- The paradox of confident yet inaccurate eyewitnesses.- How leading questions can warp your recollections.- The surprising impact of co-witness discussions.- Why 'target absent' lineups are so dangerous.- The science behind implanting full false memories.- Our brain's inherent biases (schemata & narrative fallacy).- The gold standard for protecting witness accounts: the NICHD Protocol.Don't let vital evidence be contaminated! Understand the science behind memory's fragility.Read the full, in-depth article for all the details and scientific studies on SelfSensei.com! #WitnessMemory #EyewitnessTestimony #WrongfulConviction #ForensicPsychology #CriminalJustice #MemoryScience #FalseMemory #MisinformationEffect #RonaldCotton #DNAExoneration #JusticeSystem #CognitiveBias #LegalPsychology #TrueCrime #SelfSensei Discover all 7 shocking ways witness memory can fail justice. Read the full article on SelfSensei.com!

    15 min
  5. Unlock Faces: Master 6 Universal Emotions & Microexpressions Guide

    13 JAN

    Unlock Faces: Master 6 Universal Emotions & Microexpressions Guide

    Ever wondered what someone's face is *really* saying? 🤔 Dive deep into the secret language of facial expressions with our comprehensive guide! In this video, we'll explore Dr. Paul Ekman's 6 universal emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust) and uncover the fleeting, involuntary flashes known as microexpressions that can betray hidden feelings.Learn the science behind reading faces, understand why microexpressions are NOT foolproof lie detectors, and discover how cutting-edge AI (affective computing) is teaching machines to interpret our emotions. Whether you're looking to boost your emotional intelligence or simply understand human connection better, this guide is for you!💡 Key Takeaways:- The 6 universally recognized basic emotions.- What microexpressions are and how they reveal concealed feelings.- Why humans are not natural lie detectors.- The rise of Affective Computing and AI's role in emotion recognition.Ready to see beyond the surface? Read the full article on SelfSensei.com to gain a deeper understanding and cultivate stronger connections! #FacialExpressions #Microexpressions #EmotionalIntelligence #facialexpressions #microexpressions #universalemotions #readingfaces #PaulEkman #bodylanguage #emotionalintelligence #nonverbalcommunication #psychology #affectivecomputing #AIemotions #humanbehavior #liedetectionmyth #howtoreadpeople #self-improvement Read the full article on SelfSensei.com for a complete guide to understanding universal emotions and microexpressions!

    41 min
  6. Jungian Psychology Explained: Persona, Shadow, and the 9 Career Archetypes

    31/12/2025

    Jungian Psychology Explained: Persona, Shadow, and the 9 Career Archetypes

    Have you ever felt like you’re operating without a script? One day you’re the ambitious professional, and the next, you’re the self-sabotaging procrastinator. In this episode, we dive deep into the "Algorithm for Your Life"—the universal human patterns known as Archetypes. We move from the micro-level of depth psychology to the macro-level of global branding to help you find a unifying system for your experiences.In this episode, we cover: The Core of Jungian Psychology: Why Carl Jung rejected the "blank slate" theory and how we are born with innate predispositions. Persona, Shadow, and Self: Understanding the mask we wear, the parts we repress, and the journey toward becoming a "whole" human being. The 9 Career Archetypes: Are you a Steady Climber, a Pivot Master, or a Mosaic Maker? Discover which blueprint governs your professional trajectory. Archetypes in Branding: How companies like Nike (The Hero) and Google (The Sage) use ancient patterns to trigger an immediate emotional response in consumers. The Digital "Networked Self": How we manage multiple personas across LinkedIn, Instagram, and even memes. Shadow Work: A practical look at the Victim and Saboteur archetypes and how to turn self-sabotage into a tool for growth. 00:00 – The Information Overload of Identity04:15 – Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious10:30 – Persona vs. Shadow: The First Test of Courage15:45 – The 9 Career Archetypes (Finding your path)22:10 – Brand Archetypes: Why you buy what you buy28:50 – Memes as Modern Digital Folklore33:15 – The Saboteur & The Victim: Surviving your own mind38:40 – The Hero’s Journey & The Alchemist What career archetype do you identify with most? Are you a Mosaic Maker balancing different industries, or a Life-First Designer? Let us know in the comments! Enjoyed this deep dive? Subscribe for more insights into psychology, technology, and the patterns that shape our world. Actionable articles at SelfSensei.com - Unlocking the Code of the Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Carl Jung’s Archetypes#Psychology #Archetypes #CarlJung #CareerAdvice #Branding #PersonalGrowth #ShadowWork

    39 min
  7. AI Groupthink & Governance: The New Challenges of Hybrid Intelligence

    25/12/2025

    AI Groupthink & Governance: The New Challenges of Hybrid Intelligence

    As we move into 2025, the challenge isn't just building powerful AI—it's integrating it without falling into the "AI Groupthink" trap. This episode dives deep into the convergence of ancient human psychology and cutting-edge artificial intelligence to explore why even the best hybrid teams fail. In this deep dive, we explore: The Human Foundation: Why our oldest flaws, like groupthink and overconfidence, are being amplified by new machine intelligence. Hybrid Intelligence (HI): A look at the iterative workflow between AI-generated insights and human expert oversight. The New Bottlenecks: Why the scarce resource is no longer "ideation," but curation, prioritization, and evaluation. Coherence Collapse: What happens when a hybrid team loses strategic unity despite high-quality individual outputs. The 2025 Regulatory Landscape: Navigating the EU AI Act's August 2025 deadline and the U.S. executive-driven governance model. Strategic Tools Highlighted: We discuss professional governance platforms like DataRobot for real-time risk intervention, Holistic AI for automated bias audits, and IBM Watson OpenScale to make invisible risks manageable. Stop treating AI as a passive tool and start managing it as a creative partner. The smartest organizations in 2025 won't just have the best models—they’ll have the best human-AI coordination. Check out Self Sensei for our in depth narrative "The Groupthink Trap: When Smart Groups Make Disastrous Decisions" Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Humans, AI, and the Strategic Shortcut 01:15 - The Fragility of Collective Intelligence 02:45 - Groupthink & Overconfidence: Case Studies in National Hubris 04:00 - The Incentive Paradox: Why Individual Rewards Lead to Herding 05:30 - Defining Hybrid Intelligence (HI) 07:15 - AI Groupthink & Information Convergence 09:00 - Coherence Collapse: The Hidden Failure Mode 11:20 - Professional Identity: Vibe Coding & The Shift to Curation 13:45 - 2025 AI Governance & Global Regulation 15:30 - The Toolset: DataRobot, Holistic AI, and More #AIGovernance #HybridIntelligence #AIEthics #Groupthink #AIStrategy #DecisionMaking #TechTrends2025 #EUAIAct #HumanAI #DataScienceGovernance

    14 min

About

Gain Clarity and Unlock a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you by exploring the science behind your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors through our carefully curated collection of research on core psychological concepts. Each episode is thoroughly researched to provide you with accurate and insightful knowledge about the fundamental principles that shape our minds and actions.